Thera 1.83: Siha
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(83):Siha Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =83. Sīha= Reborn in this Buddha-age in the country of the Mallas, in the family of a (king)rāja, he was named Sīha (Leo). Seeing the Exalted One(Buddha), he was attracted by him, saluted him and sat down at one side. The Lord(Buddha) discerned the trend of his mind and taught him the Path(Dhamma), so that he believed, entered the Monk’s order, and, taking his exercise, lived in the forest. His thoughts were distracted by many objects and he could not concentrate.1 The Lord(Buddha) saw this and, standing over him, uttered this verse: ---- 83 Sīhappamattā vihara rattindivamatandito|| Bhāvehi kusalaɱ dhammaɱ jaha sīghaɱ samussayanti.|| || ---- 83 O Siha! persist sincerely; By night and day without faltering. Let arise the good Path(Dhamma) within your heart. Swiftly renounce that piled up dirt of birth.2 ---- By this the Thera was able to expand insight and win arahantship(enlightenment). And, confessing aññā(supreme attainment), he repeated the verse. ---- 1 Lit-., 'to him one-point-nees comes not'; the usual psychological term, to which we can only approximate in our 'concentration.' Cf. Compendium, pp. 237, 240 f. 2 Samussayo, lit., 'accumulation.' Commentary = 'the passions binding to personal existence.' Used for the body, or whole living aggregate. Cf. Sisters, verse 22. ---- =1.9-383 Commentary on the stanza of Sīhatthera= The stanza, starting with Sīha’ppamato vihara, constitutes that of the venerable Thera Sīha. What is the origin? It is said that he, having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, was reborn in the womb of a bird with a human head (kinnara), on the bank of the river Candabhāga, at the time of the Blessed One Atthadassī, eithteen hundred aeons (kappa) ago from now. Living as he did as a flower-fed (bhakkhe) and flower-dwelling (pupphanivesana), he happened to have seen the Blessed One Atthadassī going through the sky, became pious-minded, and beign desirous of making reverential offering (pūjetuṃ) to Him, he stood with his clasped hands lifted up. The Blessed One, having come to know his intention (ajjhāsaya) descended from the sky and sat Himsef down cross-legged at the foot of a certain tree. The human-headed bird (kinnara) having grindingly crushed (gahṃsitvā) the heart (sara) of sandal-wood, made reverential offering of sandal sweet scent as well as flowers, paid his homage to Him, circumambulated Him and took his departure. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in the royal family of Malla, when this Buddha arose. His name was Sīha. On having seen the Blessed One, he became pious-minded, paid his homage to Him and sat himself down on one side. The Master observed his inclination (ajjhāsaya) and taught him the truth (dhamma). He listened to the truth (dhamma), aptly gained pious faith, became a monk, took hold of his mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna) and lived in the forest. His mind ran riot on different varieties of sense-objects (ārammana); there was no one-pointedness (ekagga); he was not able to accomplish his own benefit (attha). On having seen it, the Master stood in the sky and advised him by means of a stanza: 83. ”O Sīha! You should live diligently, being industrios (atandito) day and night. Develope good deed; get rid of the complex (samussaya) quickly.” At the end of the stanza, he increasingly developed spiritual insight (vipassanā) and attained Arahantship. Hence has it been said in the Apadāna:–-- “On the bank of the river Candabhāga, I then became a human-headed bird (Kinnara). I fed myself on flowers and likewise lived amidst flowers. The Blessed One Atthadassī, the eldest in the world, the bull among men, went out atop the wood (vipina) similar to a swan-sovereign in the sky. ‘O Thorough-bred (ājaññā) personage! My adoration be to you! Your mind is well-purified. Your face-colour is delightfully pleasant (pasanna); your controlling sense of mouth is clearly placid. The widely wise (bhūripañño), the well wise (Sumedhaso), having descended from the sky, spread His double robe and took His seat (upāvisi) cross- legged. Taking along with me sticking (vilīna) sandal-wood, I went to the presence of the Conqueror; pious-minded and good- hearted I made my offering (abhiropayiṃ) to Buddha. Having paid my homage to the self-awakened Buddha, eldest of the world, the bull among men, I had by joy (pāmojja) roused up and took my departure facing the north direction. It was eighteen hundred aeons (kappa) ago that I made my reverential offering of sandal-wood. I do not remember any evil existence (duggati); this is the fruitful result of my reverential offering to Buddha. Fourteen hundred aeons (kappa) ago, from now, there were those three very strong world kings, known by the name of Rohinī. My depravity had been burnt: :P; Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” The stanza, which was spoken, however, by way of advice begins thus: “Sīha’ppamatto vihara.” There, Sīha means the address (ālapana) made to that Thera. Appamatto vihara means: you should live applied to (yutto) full attention (sampajāna) and mindfulness (sati) in all the four postures (iriyāpatha), rid of negligence, without absent-mindedness (sati-avippavāsa). Now, in order to show that diligent-dwelling along with its fruition briefly such a statement as: “rattindiva” and so on has been made. Its meaning is:– At night portion as well as in day time, you should develop (bhāvehi) rouse up (uppādehi) and increase (vaḍḍhehi) good deed, the deed (dhamma) of calm composure (samatha), spiritual insight (vipassanā) and transcendental (lokuttara) truth (dhamma), by being industrious (atandito), without being indolent, and by being strenuosly energetic (āraddhavīriyo), by way of the fourfold right exertion (sammappadhāna), in the said manner thus:– “By walking to and fro (caṅkama) and by being seated, he had his mind all round pure, free from conditions (dhamma) of hindrances (āvaranīya); having developed in this manner also, jaha sīghaṃ samussayaṃam means: “You should forsake your complex (samussaya) your bodily existence (attabhāva) first of all, now, quickly without delay by getting rid (pahāna) of the lustful desire (chandaraga) which constitutes its fitting fastener (paṭibaddha); having been so also, later on, you will totally get rid of the same, by the destruction (nirodha) of the last (carimaka) conscious state (citta).” Having, however, attained Arahantship, the Thera recited in reply (paccudahāsi) that self-same stanza exposing his aññā(attainment) (Arahantship). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Sīha is complete. ----